How effective are the different types of bark control devices?

The effectiveness of any bark control device depends on a number of factors such as the dog's temperament, breed, size, age and the motivation for barking. Sonic and ultrasonic anti barking devices can be effective for puppies or small barking dogs with placid/timid personalities but larger barking dogs or barking dogs with a determined temperament may ignore the audible or ultrasonic deterrent noises that these anti bark products emit and continue on barking.

Citronella collars are a good option in comparison to the sonic & ultrasonic anti bark devices. The citronella spray acts as a much more effective barking deterrent compared to sound as it involves more of the dog's senses and thus has a higher chance of getting the dog's attention. We have also found that many barking dogs do not like the smell of citronella and learn quickly to stop barking in order to avoid the unpleasant spray. Citronella bark collars are also a good option for people who live in states where static correction anti bark collars or the use of them are restricted.

Static correction anti bark collars (e-collars) are the most effective bark control product available. How the bark collar is introduced, age, breed, temperament and motivation for barking will all play a part in the end result. Generally speaking, these types of anti bark collars will be 98% successful so this represents a significant barking decrease. The benefits of these anti bark collars versus stand-alone traditional dog training methods include greater consistency, speed & timing of correction (no time delay), cost effectiveness and little time is required from the owner.

When a barking dog is wearing an anti bark collar, a vibration or microphone sensor will detect the barking and the bark collar will then emit a mild static correction via the bark collars contact probes (similar sensation to a TENS machine or abdominal exerciser except nowhere near as strong). This sensation is used to simply ‘get’ the dog's attention. The dog learns very quickly through association that their nuisance barking triggers the unfamiliar sensation and in order to avoid the sensation, they need to stop barking.

Will using a static correction anti bark collar stop my dog barking?

If a dog is strongly motivated to bark it will – particularly if the dog is protective barking. Our anti dog barking collars are not designed to stop protective barking, only nuisance barking. Our collars are also fitted with a safety device so that they will temporarily shut-down. The Dogtra YS300 anti bark collar for example shuts down for 3 minutes after 12 consecutive barks or more within a 50 second period, so if your dog is protective barking to protect you or your property, it won’t be put under any duress and you too, will be protected!

How long will an anti bark collar take to stop dog barking?

Some barking dogs learn to stop barking immediately while others can take a few days. It does, however, depend on the dog's temperament, whether it is desexed or not, its age, breed and its motivation for barking. For example, the urge to procreate (sex) or the need to protect its own life & family are of high motivation. Generally speaking, boredom is a lower motivation for dog barking. If you don’t quite understand why your dog is barking then don’t hesitate to Freecall DogMaster Trainers on 1800 300 364 for an obligation-free consultation.

Like humans, every dog is different and some may take longer than others to change their behavior. Eventually the dog can wear the anti barking collar deactivated once it learns that nuisance barking is unacceptable, and you can re-introduce it every few weeks or so, just to reinforce the training once in a while…or only when you leave the house, just to make sure.

Do static correction bark control collars cause harm to the dog?

When used in conjunction with the instructions e-collars do not harm your pet. An independent study on e-collars was conducted at a leading Veterinary University in the U.S.A. The study found that the use of an e-collar to curb barking was no more cruel than taking your dog to your Vet for a “check-up”. The energy delivered from a typical e-collar equates to approximately 2 volts @ 20 milliamps. Find out more about e-collar safety.

What type of bark control can be used for barking puppies?

We recommend the use of sonic/ultrasonic bark control devices for puppies. We do not recommend citronella spray collars or static correction anti bark collars for puppies under the age of 6 months. Contact us on Freecall 1800 300 364 for further advice.

Will my dog have to wear an anti barking collar all the time?

No, definitely not. We ask that you DO NOT leave the bark control collar on your dog for more than 8 - 10 hours per day. Pressure Necrosis (pressure sores) may occur if you leave the bark control collar on the dog indefinitely.

If my dog isn't wearing a bark control collar 24/7 then won't they bark when the collar is off them?

This really depends on how the bark control collar is introduced to the dog. Some owners want the dog to know that the bark control collar is the source of the correction. In this case the bark control collar is switched on and placed on the dog; the dog barks and is corrected. Most dogs then learn that the new bark control collar means stop barking. The downside to this method is that the dogs will know they can bark when they are not wearing the bark control collar.

Other people prefer that their dog not associate the anti bark collar with the sensation by placing the bark collar on the dog but leaving it switched off. This must be done for at least a few days. The dog then considers the new anti bark collar of no importance, and then after 5 to 7 days of occasional wearing of the anti bark collar should it be switched on. The dog will not necessarily assume that the bark control collar is to blame for the correction. In both cases the dog will develop a tendency to stop barking in time, leading to a quieter dog while not wearing the bark control collar.